Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1887-08-04
Helena, Montana. Thursday August 4, 1887

mentally deformed class in particular by
visit to the Iowa State Institution for Feeble
Minded Children located at Glenwood. where
$50 of the most unfortunate Of human beings
are congregated, many of them having been
rescued from the garbage heap Of society and
there trained in the direction Of intelligence
and betterment
Iowa was the seventh state in the Union T.,
organize an institution for the education and
cars of this class. Twenty states now recog
nize the right Of the weak minded child to
some sort of elevating influences. Thirteen
Of these states have institutions to this end,
while the other seven make partial prov ision
for feeble minded children in private or other
state institutions. The Iowa institution was
opened in 1876, under the superinterdency of
DIR. o.. w. Archibald, now of the North Da-
kota insane hospital, and was succeeded in
1850 by DIR. +. w. Powell, who has faithfully
and mtelligently carried forward the work.
AT first the institution was regarded as an ex-
pertinent, and parents We're reluctant to pass
their helpless children to the care of state
asylum. Confidence increased as good results
became apparent. 1t was soon crowded, and
from one building the institution has grown
into plant of six fine brick structures, where
the work of recreating the weak children of
misfortune is carried on III comprehensive
manner.
The system of instruction varies somewhat
from that of the public school, The instruc-
ton Of the senses seems at first sight to be
no difficult task, but in the case of the feeble
bodied and feeble minded it means almost
their apparent creation. 1t is a training Of
mind and body, a joint education Of brain,
ar,1 o,,1h hon o,,1 foNf "a
quires earnestness and gentleness, firmness
and unlimited patience, and where applied as
it is at Glenwood it takes from drear faces
the dull, blank animal look and makes them
human.
The school department covers instruction
from the simplest forms of fixing the atten-
ton and calling forth an effort, such as open
ing and closing the hands, winding yarn,
distinguishing colors and forms, up to the
elementary branches of reading, writing, etc.
There are also classes in drawing and singing,
and one of the features of the institution is
brass band of twenty pieces, and quite as
good music is made as could be brought out
among an equal number of right minded
boys. Both girls and boys receive instruc-
tion in sewing with hand and MACHINE In
the domestic department the girls are taught
life
The industrial or manual department in
cludes shops Of various kinds, the farm, gar
den and laundry. The farm consists Of 200
acres well titled. \ herd of thirty Holstein
cows furnishes the children with plenty of
milk.
The third department is the custodial, which
includes the asylum and nursery. To those
- ,+ol 4, Ill.
ness Of the lower grade of inmates no idea can
be had CT the care required to keep things
clean. The laundry, fitted up with steam
machinery, is busy all day long, and scrub
bling force is constantly on duty. The work
of all connected with the institution is most
exacting.
Our public charities and reformatory insti-
tutions are among the highest and noblest
products of Christian philanthropy-one of
the finest outgrowths of Nineteenth century
civilization. Iowa has provided for the edu-
cation and care Of her detectives, as well as
her normal children, with munificence as
broad and liberal as her prairies are grand
and productive. DR.. Kerlin, superintendent
of the Pennsylvania institution, the largest
in the world, pays the following tribute
to the Iowa institution in an address be-
fore the national convention of charities
and correction. He said: "Of all the states
in which special provision has been made
for the education of the feeble minded,
Iowa has most rapidly developed her work.
We cannot recommend a surer cure for those
who are skeptical in regard to this work than
to visit the Iowa institution. 1t was founded
in faith with the broadest perceptions of
state duty and state capacity" The public
school system of Iowa is pointed out as a
model one in the great family of states; at
the same time the Hawkeye state ranks with
the older commonwealths in special educa-
tional efforts. NOSES FOLSOM